The Bee an Arts Champion Award, presented by the Bee Vradenburg Foundation, honors the legacy of Bee Vradenburg by recognizing individuals who have demonstrated sustained, passionate and innovative leadership toward advancing the arts in the Pikes Peak region. The award includes an honorary grant to an organization of the recipient’s choice.

Ashley Cornelius has already left an indelible mark on our community and she’s just getting started. Ashley is the Co-Director of Poetry 719, winner of the Colorado Springs Independent, “Best Colorado Springs Artist” award, and was recently named Pikes Peak Poet Laureate among many other accomplishments. She has an innate ability to use art to confront important and challenging conversations like LGBTQ+ rights, racial equity, and body positivity by speaking truth and inviting others in to join the conversation. Ashley proves the adage that art creates community, but she takes it a step further, showing us all how art can change the world.